Hardware Security

Which describes secure boot?

  1. AA mechanism to boot a PC quickly
  2. BAt each boot stage, the digital signature of the next software is verified, and only authentic software is started
  3. CA mechanism that erases the disk at every boot
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Answer: B. At each boot stage, the digital signature of the next software is verified, and only authentic software is started

In secure boot, immutable ROM code verifies the first bootloader's signature, that bootloader verifies the next stage or the OS kernel, and so on, forming a chain of trust. If any stage's signature fails, boot stops, so malware that rewrites the bootloader or OS boot code cannot run. It is widely used in smartphones, PCs and embedded devices.

  • A. It is not for speed.
  • B. Correct. It prevents tampered software from starting.
  • C. It does not erase the disk.
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More Hardware Security questions

  1. What is the most suitable thing placed inside the chip as the root of trust for secure boot?
  2. What is the advantage of using public-key cryptography to verify software signatures in secure boot?
  3. In devices with secure boot, why is an anti-rollback mechanism needed?
  4. What is the main role of a TPM (Trusted Platform Module) installed in PCs and similar?
  5. What is the difference between secure boot and measured boot?